Samut Saring Ceylon - The Why and Wherefore

Tue 22 Jul 2008 - The Why and Wherefore

Now, how do I approach this?

I could give you a list. A long one. Probably enumerate all the books, the materials, teacher's guides, cds roms, dvds, audio books, websites and activities to cover a full year. It is a lot easier i think.

I could post a schedule of our mundane tasks. A calendar for the year. Or perhaps every imaginable approach or method to ensure a colorful and eventful year of learning.

But let us sit down and seek first His kingdom. Refresh our hearts and mind once more as to why we homeschool.

In order for me to start well, I have to start right. "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." Psalm 127:1. Once a solid foundation is established, everything will follow suit, will fall rightly into place - not smoothly and far from perfect, I know, but it will. So here goes..

1. Our lifetime goal remains the same and more. We are a covenant family with a unique culture that embodies God's Kingdom.We have a covenant with God to bring up children who will love and serve the Lord in their lives, that they may also bring up their children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord and their children's children as well. This work will not end until the child graduates, move out and establish their own home or until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the consummation of His Kingdom. We homeschool to prepare a generation of children who will pass on to a generation not yet born the passion, the joy, the hope and the perspective of, that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We can not have this in mind and then, send our children to a public or private school. Deuteronomy 6: 1-9.

Years back, we cited verses 5-9 only as our biblical basis for home education. But lately, we have learned to set our sights not only with our children but the generations after them. Other verses why homeschool are Psalm 1 and Psalm 78.

2. We started some changes in approach. The Lord has slowly veered us away from a temporal goal of achieving academic advantage for our children to a deeper, eternal goal. We have since tried to adopt a principled approach with our initial Charlotte Mason methods. Every subject should be taught in the light of God's Word. Whether it be Math, Science, History, Arts, Music or what have you. "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV .

For example, why do we learn history? Is it just to learn a bunch of random facts? A child who learns in a principled approach develops a strong biblical worldview and will gain an understanding of what the Bible has to say about it..." having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance , being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: Ephesians 1:9-11.

How do we do Math to the glory of God? How do we learn Grammar to the glory of God. What are the biblical principles we can apply in learning Science, Arts or Music? Do these subjects embrace the laws God has established in this world through His Word? We can not teach facts in isolation. How can we bring these facts together a unifying principle that will glorify God?

Principled Approach entails consistent teaching of God Word and application through home discipleship and establishing a biblical worldview.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the overall unifying principle of all.

3. Keeping a Family Worship alive is totally different from the Bible as a subject in homeschool. We are thankful this has been brought to our attention. We have had sporadic Family Worship or family devotion in the past. It had recently gained ground and is becoming more frequent. Our goal is to hold it 2-3 times a week. Our Principal, being the spiritual leader and head of the family, lead us in every family devotion night. We also have our prayers after each session.